30 April 2010

Congratulations to Andrew Castner who is moving up from the assistant brewer position at Oaken Barrel to head brewer at RAM Brewery. We are excited for you and we can't wait to drink your beer!****

After the super fun weekend in Munster last week, I am looking forward to a relatively quiet one this week. Saturday we'll be pouring some Sun King beer at the Irving for the Homespun event. Hope to see you there too!

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here!

On tap at Lafayette Brewing this weekend: Ouiatenon Wit Bier; Prophet's Rock Pale Ale; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Tippecanoe Common Ale; Eighty-Five; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; How Now Brown Ale and Star City Lager. We're also dispensing cask-conditioned Digby's Irish Stout from our hand pull. Look for our next seasonal, Maifest- a Munich-style dark lager, to be release in the coming week as a tap line becomes available.

On the food front, we are currently offering a special on Our Signature Steak that will run through the end of June. This Choice, center-cut sirloin steak served with Parmesan roasted potatoes and our bean & carrot medley is available for only $12.95! That's $5 off our regular price! Diners can also add a cracked black pepper crust and bleu cheese sauce for only $1. Great steak, great price. And of course, you can't go wrong when you pair it with a delicious Tippecanoe Common Ale or one of our other tasty beers!

From Jon at Power House brewing in Columbus:

Power House Brewing Co. will be tapping a firkin of our Jack The Bum Pale Ale. We have cask conditioned this beer with a stupid amount of Centennial hops. I think we are going to call this "Jack The Bum Vortex," in honor of the Miller Vortex bottle you mentioned*.

Next Friday, we will tap a Firkin of Diesel Oil Stout, cask conditioned with lactose and Simcoe hops. I'm calling it Holy Cow Stout!

We will soon be putting White River Brown Ale and Jack The Bum Pale Ale on tap. Later in May look for Working Wheat.

* I mentioned the ridiculous vortex bottle in my reminder email, glad to hear something good will come out of it!

Barley Island Restaurant & Brewhouse in Broad Ripple will begin serving a new brunch menu this Sunday, May 2nd, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. The brunch will be every Sunday. Naturally we have incorporated beer and/or wort (sugar from the brewing process) into several items. Omelettes, egg favorites, biscuits and beer sausage gravy, pancakes and French toast are the bulk of the menu. A kid's menu is also on tap.

Scotty's Brewhouse is taking part in the March of the Sombreros - Downtown Indianapolis on May 1st!Scotty's Brewhouse West Lafayette is now serving Breckenridge Vanilla Porter!Don't Forget Scotty's Brewhouse Daily Beer Specials:

Monday$5 Import/Microbrew 24oz MUG CLUB Refills$3 12oz Select Microbrew/Import BottlesEnjoy a Beer w/$10 All You Can Eat Wings every Monday

We've got a few gems for you this week. At 3 of our locations, David's store at 71st and Keystone, Jan's store at 15021 Greyhound Pass and my store at 2201 East 62nd in Broadripple, we have a few bottles each of Sierra Nevada's 30th Fritz & Ken's Ale as well as a few bottles each of the ultra rare Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout. I had a bottle of each at last weekend's 3Floyds Dark Lord Day and trust me, they're fantastic.

If you have graduation parties to plan for, stop by Shane's store at 56th and Illinois to pick up a keg of Bell's Oberon and make it a party to remember.

As always, I'll be holding an informal, free beer tasting today at 5:00 at my store. Stop in and try something new.

Beer Dinners

From John at Zing (543 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202 - 317-636-7775)

Sun King and Zing are having a Beer Dinner on Tuesday, May 4 at 7 pm. 5 courses with 5 Sun King Beers for $30

Trip Opportunities

From Ron Smith:

Guided Beer Vacations to Belgium and Germany!

Now through the end of April is the timeframe where I need to get firm commitments from people. You can read about my Belgium Trip here (http://www.beermba.com/belgium-beer-vacations.php) and my Germany Trip here (http://www.beermba.com/germany-beer-vacations.php). There is also some general information here (http://www.beermba.com/beer-vacations.php). These are great trips designed to maximize the enjoyment of beer lovers that want to see these parts of the world without all the stress, planning, etc. While being primarily beer-focused, we also break it up and visit many of the usual tourist sites as well. Thus, even non-beer lovers will really enjoy them, but the true beer lover will be in heaven on these trips.

There are several new & exciting beers & out in the market from Cavalier!!

Left Hand Mountain Mix Pack is back by popular demand! The Mt. Mixer is a variety of all of Left Hand's core brews and perfect for any get together or just to have a variety on hand. Either way, make sure to grab a Mt. Mixer and enjoy a taste of Left Hand!!

Left Hand Chainsaw Ale 2010 Vintage has been released and out on select store shelves. Chainsaw is the double Sawtooth Ale, so it's a Double/Imperial ESB. It opens with toasted malt, toffee and fruit flavors, yet closes with a swirling effect of garden herbs, cardamom, dry port and black cherry. Full-bodied, 9.0% alcohol by volume. Chainsaw is only brewed every other year for a special one-time release, supplies are very limited so make sure to get some asap. Take note, it's completely new, awesome packaging and looks nothing like past vintages.

Mad River Double Dread Imperial Red Ale is available in limited quantities at select craft beer establishments in the state. Double Dread is a strong red ale with a strong hop profile balanced by a solid malt backbone. Pours a true ruby red of unexpected crystalline clarity. The Double Dread exhibits our devotion to a firm malt foundation. For those who choose to indulge their passions be forwarned that this refreshment ferments out at 8.6% ABV with an IBU of 95.1. Double Dread is always Mad River's most popular and best-selling seasonal release, so get some now while it's available.

Two Brothers Dog Days of Summer Dortmunder-style Lager is available for the summer! Dog Days has garnered several medals at the Indiana State Beer Competition and continues to be a perennial favorite when it's released each year. It's a full-flavored Lager with a sweet malt profile and dry hop finish. Very refreshing!

Tyranena Scurvy Extra IPA has been released for the first time ever in Indiana!! Scurvy was originally brewed for Tyranena's "Brewer's Gone Wild Series", and has now become their summer seasonal. It's an incredible IPA brewed with orange peel, resulting in a crisp, hoppy beer with a balanced citrus profile. The orange peel is not too bold and is woven perfectly in the taste profile. This beer is incredible and is the perfect summer beer for hopheads!!

Look for Victory’s Sunrise Weissbier, an unfiltered, Bavarian style ale true to its origins with all ingredients except for the water having been imported from Germany. Features tangy, fruity flavors of its unique yeast. The imported German malts give the beer a great crisp, citric snap that makes it a superb summertime refresher! Malts: 2 row German barley and wheat maltHops: German and Czech whole flowerYeast: Imported, of German origin ABV: 5.7%

Also, Brooklyn’s next lineup for their Brewmaster’s Reserve Series, the Buzz Bomb coming in May and their Sorachi Ace in 750 ml bottles.

26 April 2010

4x3: Four Short Films by Dylan, Collin, and Alex

A-Squared Industries is bringing the beats, Sun King Brewery is providing the beer and Dylan, Collin, and Alex want to fill your eyes with a few fruits of their 10 years of movie-making labor. Come down to the Earth House Collective for a night of film, fun, and FANTASY (no actual fantasy will be provided).

25 April 2010

"This one goes out to the working man! The working men and women of America! Of Canada! Of Mexico! Of Japan and Australia and Iraq and England and Egypt... THIS ONE GOES OUT TO THE WORLD!"

Dark Lord Day 2010 Crowd (6:30 AM)

Watching Dark Lord Day musical guest Sybaris, I couldn't help but note how right bassist Shawn Podgurski's dedication was. This year's Dark Lord crowd was the most traveled yet, with folks coming from all over the world to experience the madness.

Dark Lord Day 2010 Crowd Panorama (9 AM)Click for a larger version

That crowd was obviously bigger this year. Less than five years ago, Nick Floyd was personally handing out bottles of Dark Lord from the top of a pile of wooden pallets. But the event is now an octopus, with tentacle-like lines wrapping this way and that, threatening to lay waste to anything in their wake.

Dark Lord Day 2010 Crowd Panorama (11 AM)More ImpressiveClick for a larger version

It should be interesting to see what sort of feedback crops up in the next week; while last year's event seemed to eliminate most problems of the year before, the same systems may have been crushed by the crowd this year. Last year's line ran one way; this year's line ran both, with a merging in the middle. Earlier birds were given the opportunity to buy four bottles for each golden ticket, but somewhere near 3 PM the four bottle limit became three.

Golden ticket lines stretched out of site of the brewery

None of this is to say that there weren't improvements for this year's event. The guest taps moved out of the brewery space into the parking lot, allowing everyone to access them better (perhaps at the detriment of the golden ticket line). There were more people sharing beer, which is always a good thing.

Creative outlets for brewery enthusiasm

The staff was equally enthusiastic.

On a personal note, we joined the line at 8AM and had our beer about and hour and a half after the doors opened a little after 11AM. We then set up shop about a block to the left of the brewery, with a tent and a table full of bottles for sharing. We rolled out our dueling bacon beer growlers and quickly attracted an audience with the help of a our collective twitter accounts.

Despite the fact that we were wearing shirts with the words "Dork Lord" on them, we were easily outdone by this pair. Nice shinguards, Captain Evil. I'm not sure what your buddy is supposed to be, but he's really doing a good job at it.

And a job. I need a miracle and a job.

One thing that left us confused was the reaction of some of the crowd to our efforts. We were regularly asked if we were selling or trading. When we told folks that everything was free for the sharing, many walked off. We're not sure what to think of that.

Take some of our beer! Seriously! Rod isn't that scary. Is he?

I may have figured out why our sharing table wasn't as successful as we had hoped.

In any case, the day seemed to be a success for all around - a giant smiling crowd, a bonanza of rare beer for sharing, great music, guest beer, good food, and very little in the way of unruly behavior. Much respect is due to the folks at Three Floyds for their efforts. We'll be back next year.

A hearty crowd awaited us at every turn.

What we're all here for.

So how about you? Did you make it up? Leave a comment, and tell us how your day went.

23 April 2010

I am looking for a couple licensed pouring volunteers for an evening event in Fishers on Saturday, June 12th. If you are interested, please let me know!

*****

Be sure to say hi if you are up in Munster this weekend!

*****

Congratulations to Dustin Boyer, who is moving on from Spencer's to a new and exciting position at Sun King Brewery. We wish we could be there tonight to toast you in person! Congratulations!

*****

If there is something coming up that is not listed, we would love to hear about it. News, reviews, info, etc., to share for our next Random Beer Roundup can be submitted to hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here!

Hoosier Beer CalendarEvents are subject to change

Friday, April 23rd at Spencer's Stadium Tavern: Dustin's Last Pour - Wish Dustin farewell to Spencer's and hello to a new opportunity at Sun King.

Saturday, April 24th at Three Floyds Brewery in Munster - Dark Lord Day

Wednesday, April 28th at the Chatterbox: Sun King Tasting (more info below)

On the entertainment front, we've got another spectacular show set for this Saturday: Mom & Pop Productions present the Legendary Shack Shakers. Led by their wildly charismatic, rail-thin frontman/blues-harpist, J.D. Wilkes, the Shack Shakers are a four-man wrecking crew from the South whose explosive interpretations of the blues, punk, rock and country have made fans, critics and legions of potential converts into true believers. You don't want to miss this band! Show time 9 pm.

On Saturday the 24th, those of you who can't make it to Dark Lord Day can find the Upland festival bus at the Story Inn Wine Fair in Nashville, IN. We're hoping to open the eyes of wine drinkers to the flavor and diversity of craft beer, and we could use a few staunch supporters to get the party started.

Wisconsin's Tyranena may still be new to Indiana, but they so totally get us. Hoosiers like pirates, and so, logically, hate scurvy. That's just the first reason we like Tyranena's IPA brewed with orange peel. Their brewmaster is seen as first mate(y) on the label of their Scurvy, and it tastes good, too.

Avarently, sving is uvon us...so it's time for delicious Avril from Dupont, a farmhouse ale that verfectly fitting for svring.

We give a gold star to North Coast's Blue Star, an unfiltered American wheat beer. Summertime, and the livin' is easy.

Oh, this Samurai comes in a six pack...not Seven Samurai...but still, it's refreshing and goes down easy. Well done, Akira Kurosawa (and Great Divide).

Stop by your local 21st Amendment to get ready for Dark Lord Day 2010. To help you warm up your palate we're running a special on all Three Floyds 6 packs. Don't forget to impress your out of state beer geeks with some wonderful local products. I'd suggest the Upland Variety pack and a few random six packs of Barley Island and Oaken Barrel. See Ya in Munster!

Trip Opportunities

From Ron Smith:

Guided Beer Vacations to Belgium and Germany!

Now through the end of April (about the next 2 weeks) is the timeframe where I need to get firm commitments from people. You can read about my Belgium Trip here (http://www.beermba.com/belgium-beer-vacations.php) and my Germany Trip here (http://www.beermba.com/germany-beer-vacations.php). There is also some general information here (http://www.beermba.com/beer-vacations.php). These are great trips designed to maximize the enjoyment of beer lovers that want to see these parts of the world without all the stress, planning, etc. While being primarily beer-focused, we also break it up and visit many of the usual tourist sites as well. Thus, even non-beer lovers will really enjoy them, but the true beer lover will be in heaven on these trips.

21 April 2010

Tyranena is a brand new arrival to Indiana, showing up on shelves earlier this month. You may have sampled their Bitter Woman IPA or Rocky's Revenge at this year's Winterfest. They have rightfully earned their place among the top of Wisconsin's sea of craft breweries. We brought back a full selection of their offerings from Wisconsin only a few short weeks before their release in Indiana. It seemed incredibly timely for us to make our way through them all and let you know what we think. Because for some reason we think you care.

Three Beaches Honey Blonde AleAs you'd guess from the name, this beer is an American Blonde Ale brewed with honey. It pours with a pale golden color and a white fizzy head that dissipates almost immediately. The nose is bizarre, evoking bread, burnt hair, and sulfur. While that might sound unpleasant, the taste of the beer certainly is not. The flavor is grassy, grainy, and slightly sweet; it finishes with a touch of clover. Certainly a worthy warm-weather beer. 2.80 curds.

Headless Man Amber AltHeadless Man is Tyranena's version of the Altbier style, which is a style that I wish more brewers would take on. It pours with a burnished copper color and a nice, off-white head. The nose carries noticeable biscuit notes and a faint whiff of toffee. The consensus of the group was that the beer was predominated by a roasted nut flavor, with a good balance of caramel malts and moderate hop bitterness. I really enjoy the Altbier style, and Headless man is a strong contribution to it. 3.28 curds.

Stone Tepee Pale AleI was unable to find Tyranena's stone 'tepee" (which makes me think of Tepe, not Teepee - but that's for another time) but I did find the Daniel E. Krause stone barn which was very instrumental in the history of dairy farming in Wisconsin and is also made of stone. Fortunately that's not where the similarities stop with the Tyranena Stone Tepee Pale Ale and the Daniel E. Krause Stone Barn. Both are yellow in color (thanks to the fieldstone in the barn's case) and are lightly refreshing. The Stone Tepee is bitter and dry but light enough to be refreshing. This pale ale is very american in style and has a hint of grassy hops. A great beer to enjoy when you're out dairy farming. 2.9 cheese curds.

Down 'n Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal StoutMuch like the Don Q Inn up by the Wisconsin Dells the "Down and Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout" can give you the perfect setting for a romantic weekend in Wisconsin. Pours dark and black, much like the color scheme of the vegas-style Casino Royale Suite. It has a nice roasted coffee nose with hints of chocolate evoking thoughts of arabian coffee (much like the swanky Arabian Nights Suite). The dark, thick, rich chocolatey stout reminds me of space and makes me think of blasting off in the Tranquility Base Suite that has a recreation of a Gemini Space Vessel! The smoky, roasted notes take me away, much like the Up, Up and Away Suite. Down and Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal stout may just be a beer, but it provides hours of enjoyment, just like the theme rooms at the down and dirty Don Q Inn. 3.9 cheese curds.

Do you like euchre? If you're a good Hoosier, you surely do and so do the good people of Wisconsin. Personally, I learned to play in my hometown of Rochester, NY, where we were fond of the line "don't send a baby to buy the beer." You know what else you shouldn't do with a baby? Bring it to a beer tasting -- not if you want to taste all the beers, anyway.

Sheep Shagger Scotch AleSheep Shagger pours a surprisingly light brown color that belies the flavor packed into this beer. The nose offers coffee and chocolate and it's just slightly sweet in the mouth. You'll find more coffee, toffee and dark fruits in the flavor, with just a slight booziness -- enough to warm on the way down but not unpleasant at all.3.9 curds.

Despite being basically just around the corner, I knew so little about Wisconsin. For example, did you know that Wisconsin was discovered by Ferdinand Magellan? It's true. Or that Wisconsin was once spelled Ouisconsin and pronounced "Oui-Oui-sconsin" by the French? Saw it on wikipedia. Absolutely true.

I saw this Tyranena as a lesson. A lesson about Wisconsin. Having drank my way through most of their lineup now, I feel like I'm pretty much an expert. Consider the reviews below, which I did completely from memory, and I'd like to call "A Complete History of Wisconsin (abridged)".

Chief Blackhhawk Porter has a deep black/brown color that echos the color of the clouds of bats that plague Wisconsin's Ice Age National Trail. Must like the trail, the porter starts with a smoky, almost ashtray like nose but follows up malty sweetness, light body, and dry smooth finish. Let's be honest, that's a pretty weird trail. I have no idea why they modeled a beer after it. 2.68 Curds.

Bitter Woman IPA is named after Wisconsin's favorite son, Brett Favre. The beer is starts out yellow, but goes green for a little bit before it turns purple and really pisses everyone off. You can't blame the beer, though, because the beer just wants to win a Super Bowl. The beer doesn't know when to quit, either, and it strings everyone along every year and you have to just wonder about how a beer gets and ego that big. HELLO BEER, it's not 1996 anymore. Despite all that, Bitter Woman toes the line between American Pale and IPA, with an balanced agree-ability that suited my palate. 3.72 Curds.

Rocky's RevengeThis beer is partially aged in bourbon barrels for an interesting take on the traditional brown ale. The aroma of Rocky's Revenge is much more intimidating than the actual beer, with huge bourbon, brown sugar and vanilla notes. Many of us recognized coconut in there as well, which was surprising. The flavors turned out to be more balanced than our initial impressions based on scent. Again, a few of us picked up coconut, but mainly toffee, pecans and roasted malts defined this beer. This is a nice, complex brown that marries the idea of bourbon aged beers, nut browns and American brown ales. 3.9 curds

Scurvy IPAScurvy is an IPA brewed with orange peel, which makes sense given the name. The name actually has an amusing story behind it. This beer was first brewed as a Brewers Gone Wild series beer (which we reviewed here) and is now being released as part of the seasonal lineup. In its current run as a seasonal beer, the label on the bottle was actually denied because it "implied health benefits" despite its previous existence and approval as a Brewers Gone Wild beer. Thankfully, with a little bit of explanation, the labels were approved. Scurvy is exactly what it advertises itself as, an IPA with aromas of orange blossoms, lemon zest and citrus hops. The version we had was a well balanced IPA with lots of grassy and citrus hop bitterness and a nice orange sweetness to balance things out, though age had clearly taken its toll on the bitterness level. If you pick up the seasonal release, you're going to find even more hop bitterness and a better compliment of orange flavors - and that's a good thing. While it won't tip the scales with hop overload, it will make for a great summer IPA on a hot day. 4 curds

This year's Dark Lord Day is set to be the biggest ever. This event just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year and we've been asked to throw out a few tips to people coming this year. These are my tips that I've learned over five years of heading to DLD.

1. Cash That is the only thing accepted at FFF's. Don't leave home without it or pay the crazy gorilla math surcharges at the ATM machines that will be there.2. Talk This is the greatest thing about DLD. I enjoy talking with other like minded people and sharing beer with people from all over the country. Bring some tasty brews to share and just say hello to everyone and you will have a good time.3. Food Bring some water and snacks in a bag with you because drinking high gravity beer all morning will quickly take its toll on you.4. Tasting Tables If you bring beer to share this is one of the things about the day as well. Just step up to the tables and pop your beers and start sharing what you have brought. Don't be intimidated by what people may have brought because chances are that someone wants to try what you have brought and as long as you are sharing most other people are going to share with you.5. Parking Parking was hard to come by last year by 9 am, so I have no idea what to expect this year. I would just say get there earlier than later this year.

Last year was my first year at Dark Lord Day and everything pretty much went as I expected, if not better. Sometimes people stress out about events like this because there is guaranteed to be a percentage of the population that is bringing the rarest anything ever and nothing you have will be good enough for them. Screw that. There are a ton of people here just for the love of beer and they are the gross majority. Here are my tips:

Guest TapsLast year 3F brought in 30+ rare and insane beers, not restricted to those distributed in Indiana. These were being sold inside the warehouse at $5 per pour. Much like everything else, they only accept cash. A new batch of beers is tapped every hour and when they're gone, they're gone. With the Craft Beer Conference in Chicago this year, I expect there to be an exceptional selection of extremely rare beer available.

Bring GrowlersIf you don't have a huge cellar of rare beer, go fill some growlers with great seasonal, local beer. You'll have a ton to share, won't spend too much and are guaranteed to have something a lot of people haven't tried. This probably won't work for the Tasting Tables, but there's a lot more beer being shared than what's on the trading tables.

Hold the bottom of your Dark Lord CaseWe saw a lot of box bottoms fall out and a lot of Dark Lord destroyed last year. Don't fall victim to this. HOLD YOUR CASE BY THE BOTTOM. It will be rainy again, and wet cardboard doesn't hold up well.

Bring a cooler with wheelsUse it as your seat while in line. The wheels will help you save your strength for drinking.

You will be exhaustedIf you're familiar with tailgating, you know how a day full of heavy drinking can wear down the body. Now imagine that with 10%+ ABV beers all day. Yeah, you're going to be exhausted at the end. Plan accordingly with either a hotel reservation or a nice nap in your car before you head out. I think last year we were in bed by 8, which made me really sad because I really wanted to see Pelican.

Be sure to add your personal tips in the comments!

In my experience, I've found the two Dark Lord Days I've attended to be amongst the most memorable and fun beer events I have experienced.

1. Bring snacks and water. Don't forget to eat and drink them during the day.2. Bring some beer to share. As Rod said, it doesn't matter what, just bring some and be friendly. People come from all over the country to attend so it's a great opportunity to show a little bit of that Hoosier Hospitality and offer up some of the great beers we have in the state. 3. This one may just be for the ladies: Bring toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and/or your own personal restroom cause 3000 people drinking beer all day sure takes a toll on the port-a-pottys (as you summer beer festival goers know all too well).4. It's spring in Indiana, so the weather changes quick. Last year when we arrived, there were thunderstorms in the distance. It turned out to be a nice, sunny afternoon, but the temperature went from a breezy 70 to about 40 in what seemed like a matter of minutes. Bring a couple layers and comfortable shoes. 5. Don't forget about what's inside the warehouse. Music, guest beer, cool people. 6. Keep an eye on that watch if you have Golden Tickets. There were still long lines to pick up the allotment of Dark Lord last year for most of the time, and it looks like 4 o'clock (if you check your ticket) or 5 o'clock (if you check the website) will be the cutoff for guaranteed sales.7. If you do something stupid, it will end up on the internet.

Have fun, pace yourself, and please say hello if you see us in our "Dork Lord" shirts. We'll probably have some beer to share.

I think everyone else covered everything pretty well, but there are a few other minor things worth noting.

Don't forget to check out the bands. They're loud, you'll be sorta drunk, and it's a nice bit of respite when you're on the precipice of "oh I think I drank too much". Plus you can watch drunk guys headbang. Always entertaining.

Keep your eyes out for bacon beer. It may be very limited, but there are rumors of leftover growlers from HBG's CBMTCBL. Bring a tasting glass. Sure, you can drink out of any old cup, but a tasting glass (preferably one with a 1 oz. line) will allow to to better keep those samples small (and as a result, more varied). Bring lawn chairs. There's not much for seating at Dark Lord Day.

Respect the police. They're letting you get away with a lot of things that you typically wouldn't. Don't forget that.

19 April 2010

Frequent trips to St. Louis mean that I've passed through Terre Haute more times than I care to count. That's not meant as a slight to Terre Haute, more so the three and a half hour drive it takes to reach my hometown in southern Illinois.

I know there are a lot of STL transplants in Indy - the cars with leftover Missouri plates, the southern Illinois high school license plate frames, the SLU, SIUE, or WASH U stickers, the St. Louis dealership badges on the back of your cars - and I want to say "I feel your pain." We share the hell that is western Indiana and Central/Southern Illinois interstate 70. We are brothers and sisters. I'm the brother that seemingly drives twice as fast as you do, so get the hell out of the way.

Brother and sisters, a recent discovery is bound to help alleviate your torture. Just under three miles from Interstate 70 Exit 7 (Terre Haute) lies M. Mogger's Restaurant and Pub (908 Poplar Street, Terre Haute, IN‎ - (812) 234-9202‎, smoking allowed), an oasis for those of us who have the Indy/STL path burned into our brains.

M. Mogger's lies in an area of Terre Haute that once contained the gigantic Terre Haute Brewing Co. complex. As the website says:

Matthias Mogger, the restaurant's namesake, was a German immigrant and one of the pioneers of early brewing.. His brewery, M. Mogger's Brewery, was housed in the building from 1848-1868. The Bleemel Building became part of the Terre Haute Brewing Company in 1989. By 1893, it was the 7th largest brewery in the country. The brewery closed for good in 1958.

Lucky for us, the tradition of beer lives on. Mogger's features 9 taps, with a variety of local Indiana beer and nationwide selections sure to suit your palate. In addition, the restaraunt/bar stocks over 125 bottles, with a selection that shames anywhere in Indianapolis short of maybe Shallos, MacNiven's, or the Beer Sellar.

Rumor has it that Mogger's is also looking back into the business of brewing their own. The building has an on-again off-again history with brewing equipment, and it appears that new equipment is on the agenda for the near future.

In the meantime, I settle in for an early Friday pint or two (I'm just a passenger this time) before revisiting the road back home.

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (from tap, $6.50) - I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of Stone. It's not that I actively dislike the beer, more that I always seem to find something I like a little more. With Sublimely Self-Righteous, that may change.

Sublimely Self-Righteous is Stone's newest available beer in Indiana, a former special release that now has become a part of their regular lineup. An 8.7% ABV American Strong Ale, the thing that I found most noticeable was how mild and agreeable the beer was. I'll admit that without the aid of a bottle I had no idea the beer packed that much of a wallop.

The beer is a deep black color, leading me to believe it was a stout-like nose I could expect. But instead I got a full nose of hops - not so much the big west coast nose I'd expect for a California brewery - more so a mild and agreeable mix. The beer reminded me most of a milder agreeable IPA, and quickly became my favorite of the extensive Stone lineup.

Foret Saison (bottle, $12.00) - This beer was a revisit, as I had it as a warm-up at the Nogne O beer dinner. A conversation with the folks from Cavalier Distributing leads me to believe that this beer uses the same recipe that Brasserie Dupont uses with Saison Dupont, the only difference being that this variety used all organic ingredients.

Foret is a murky granny smith apple colored beer, with a nose that echoes its color. Apple also comes through strongly in the front and finish, with an agreeable peppery bite that really agreed with me. Foret would make for an excellent food pairing beer, but even alone its a highly agreeable version of the saison style.

My palate pleased, we settled up and set sail for Illinois. This wouldn't be our only stop at Mogger's for the weekend - we revisited Sunday on the way back to Indy.

KOTBR #90 - Medal Winners - We visit Barley Island and Brugge Brasserie in Broad Ripple to try some medal winning beers. Things get interesting when we are joined by some special guests, including Michael Phelps, Rob Halford, Glenn Danzig, and Brugge's very own Ted Miller.

Beer: The Pedal Pusher's Potion - Our first in depth feature receives support from Dogfish Head, Left Hand, Breckenridge Brewery, and Smuttynose, and draws in hits from hundreds of cyclists looking for a beer buzz.